Abstract: In the present study, we focused on whether intracellular free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) regulates the formation of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) in H2O2-induced apoptosis in tobacco protoplasts. It was shown that the decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential (△Ψm) preceded the appearance of H2O2-induced apoptosis; pretreatment with the specific MPTP inhibitor cyclosporine A, which also inhibits Ca2+ cycling by the mitochondria, effectively retarded apoptosis and the decrease in △Ψm. Apoptosis and decreased △Ψm were exacerbated by CaCl2, whereas the plasma membrane voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel blocker lanthanum chloride (LaCl3) attentuated these responses. Chelation of extracellular Ca2+ with EGTA almost totally inhibited apoptosis and the decrease in △Ψm induced by H2O2. The time-course of changes in [Ca2+]i in apoptosis was detected using the Ca2+ probe Fluo-3 AM. These studies showed that [Ca2+]i was increased at the very early stage of H2O2-induced apoptosis. The EGTA evidently inhibited the increase in [Ca2+]i induced by H2O2, whereas it was only partially inhibited by LaCl3. The results suggest that H2O2 may elevate cytoplasmic free Ca2+ concentrations in tobacco protoplasts, which mainly results from the entry of extracellular Ca2+, to regulate mitochondrial permeability transition. The signaling pathway of [Ca2+]i-mediated mitochondrial permeability transition was associated with H2O2-induced apoptosis in tobacco protoplasts.(Author for correspondence.Fax：0931 891 2893；Email：wanggx@lzu.edu.cn)

Key words: apoptosis, calcium, hydrogen peroxide, mitochondrial permeability transition pore, programmed cell death, tobacco protoplast.